Collapsible trailer house



July l0, 945.

B. Hopa-JOHNSON. JR 2,380,045

COLLAPSIBLE TRAILER HOUSE Filed May 16, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July` 10,` 1945 t PATENTaOFFlCE r "l CQLLAPSIBLE TRAILER House `Bertie Hope-Johnson, .r.,.Saslxatoon` i Saskatchewan, Canada i Application May 16,1944,ser`ia1 No. 535,855 .o

' 2 Claims. `(o1. 296-23) Il".Ihis invention relates to a collapsible, trailer Vheusem whieh the frame of Jthe trailer is pivoted] on its suspension means so that it standsupright and cooperates with atleast one other correspending frame member, spaced i',he`refrom,`` to support aQtent-like fabric covering, the `Whole forming acollapsible house, and the collapsed structure being transported '(n the horizontal plane) .aspart of the trailer.

o e conventional house 'tent involving ia ridge` pole, end poles and a relatively great number of (bar whereby when the tow bar s` -pivoted in rel lation to thev frame eachA `shackle pin slides `in the appropriate slot. the trailerfframe pivots into the nprightfpositionfand the tow lbaracts as` a! supporting strut orf` brace for fthe upstanding trailer frame andmay Ibel anchored to giveeit.` stability and rigidity.` `Means are also provided` for preventing the tow loar` from :pivoting in rela- 'non tothe treiienframe at ieast during treveiz guyjropes hasthe disadvantages thatconsiderf ablejtime and labour are required in erectingit andthat its poles and particularly the ridge pole; are not readily and quickly stowed.A On the other hand,` theconventional house trailer, w'h'ichfcan-` not `b`e`converted to a work trailerand is there-` fore of restricted usefulness, involves an expense` 1 which puts it `beyond the reach of the average ported.

a slippery roadfmay fthe present inventionis to pro-g` vide arelatively inexpensive and light collapsible trailer house4 which, using'the main frame of theA trailer as a supportfor thehouse, hasfvery sub-` stantiai staiemty and may te rapidiy erected, and` may be as rapidly and readily stowed and trans-I trailer house',` and A further object of the invention is 'to provide a" collapsible trailer house in which the `trailer frame is 'so connected to its suspension means that it may be pivoted into an upright position to cooperate ywith atleast one other `corresponding framemenilber spaced therefrom to support `a tent-like fabric covering, the covering and `the spaced frame member being collapsedonto the trailer" frame to be carried on top of it during" travel.` Y

'A further object of the inventionis to provide a. collapsible trailer house as described having a forked tow Ibar pivotally connected to the trailer frame, and having the trailer suspension means pivotally connected toI the frame at one point and indirectly connected to the` frame at another point through the tow bar, a shackle pin forming part of the suspension means [being connected to slide in a slot formed in veach fork of the tow o other objects and` features ef theinventiehmii appear from the appended claims and from :the

l following description: b'y referenceto` ings in whichc i i Fig. 1 is a side eievationf the trailer house "collapsed andqready :to 'be transported,

` Fig. `2k is a top view the condition shownln Fig. 1, o

`Fig; 3 is an enlarged Section on the line ofyFig. 2, `the spring being cutaway, i

o Fig. fr is a 1engitudiria1 section of the ereeteif Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectionton'the` line v554-5 in Fig. 2 showing the means for `preventing the l tow bar from pivotingin relatiorrto` the' trailer Y frame. i

`The b'asic co with side" rails vIIJafandt end rails o Illb, conventional leaf springs"3|`l `connectedkto aide 'bar l.

I2, wheels I3 mounted`thereon, and tow I4. This tow fbar` isforked and each fork I4a` is "pivotally` connected tof the `iframe I0 ata point I5, one ono-"eachyside rail Illa, loe-` tween the ends oftheil'eaf 'springs `I I.

arefi at their rear" end" `corinected "to through shackles `It *and lat theirfront ends the leaf springs II are indirectly connected to the" frame I Il through shackles I1, having pins IIa` slidably engagingv and 'adaptedto slide in slots I'8 running longitudinally vof eachforli` Ma of towf l Tow bar I 4-is normallyprevented `from pivoting in relation to the frame by means of locking bars I9,` the ends of which engage in slots I8 in each.l

`fork Ida. `y."I'heselockingfbars I9 slide in brackets 20 secured tothe frontendral I 0b` of frame I 0* and` are operatedflby `lever 2| whichwhen` pivoted in `one direction moves both bars away,`

from the centre point of thetrailer so that `they may be caused to extend into and engagefin the l slots I8, and when movedin the other direction` withdraws the bars'fromthe slots I8 thereby permitting the tow bar to pivot in relation to the frame I0. Studs 2Ia resist movement of lever 2l from the locklngposltlonshown in Fig. 5. i

of thetrailerhouse `in l o ponents` of the" collapsible house trailer are a' channel` iron trailer frame `IIlv o The latter` frame I ll f The shackles I6 are in the usual way pivotally connected to the frame illuso that when the locking bars i9 have been withdrawn from the slots i3 the frame `lll may be pivoted into an upright position as shown 4in Fig. 4 with the rear f end of the frame Hl resting on the ground, the

distance Ibetween the shackle I6 and the rear end of the frame il) having been appropriately calculated for this purpose. As the frame i is thus pivoted to theupright position-shackle 'pins 11a slide in slotsfl until the frame 'is `in upright position and the coupling end of the tow bar I4 rests on the ground. The tow bar thus yacts as al r ajstrut or 'brace for the upstanding frame Il] and` it may be anchored by a stake 22 passed through' a hole 23 formed in the coupling end. Of` the tow bar, and driven into the ground. #"Atthe same time the frame ID is supported against lateral movement by the wheels"l`3"tlirough`the springs Il, shackles I6 and l1, and tow bar forks lila. Y

After the frame` l l) has sobeen pivoted into the upright position the collapsible house, Y which is shown infFigfl inthe collapsed position ready for 'transpcjlrtation,V is"` openediout'and set in proper position It Vcomprises a-tent-like fabric covering`f24 Ahavingan roof V25,f1'oor 2B, side walls 2'!g endwalls jZSfand supporting frame members 29,` 304 andtljadapted, with-'frame I0, to support therabric'coveririg in lerectedl position. `Each frame membercorersponds infdimensions to the frame ID buts formed of a single'piece of welded steel tubing-and has the top`cross 'pi'ece arched so as to provide an arched roof." The frame members are vas shown' preferably connected to the fabric covering ty lqopsszso thatthe three frame `members`29,` 3\1"and`3l and the covering may be collapsed onto' the frame vl 0 as a unit (see Fig. 1). "Extensionsf ,and 34 ofthe roof 25tand floor 25 are connected respectively. to the 'inner faces' of the end rails lllb' of frame I0 `by battens and bolts 36., the extension'33 being connected 'to the inner' face..

Guy or anchorropesare connected'at thetop rear corners to an eave flap 38 and guy ropes 39 are connected to llapslllt shown as an extension ofthe floor'2t. f Windows M are `sewn in the side walls' 21 'and :these are adapted lto receive remevable Celluloid windows 42. Y

When it is desired to collapse the'trailer house and make it readyv'for transport,` the windows 42 are rst removed `'from Vframes 4I, vthen thevan- Chor 0r guy ropes `3l and Stare/detachedfrom their stakes and'iremesa/Se and 3| with theV fabric appropriatelyn'folded lbetween them ac crdonfwise, are (moved. :upto the freine` l0. 1

Ropes'l andm39 are nowr bound around the f frames lil and 2'9'Ito plandthe fabric covering 24t0 prevent themfvrom becoming separated. t

Thereupon the Stake. 22 is Withdrawn from the ground and from the hole 23, the frame Il) with the attached frames'ZS to 3l andthe covering 24 is pivoted into'thei horizontal plane, lever 2|4 is operated vto project locking bars I9 into slots I8 andthe collapsible trailer'is radytoftravell Aslshown vin F-i'gsf2 and 4*'the end wall 28y to' which the'eave 'flap 38 is attached is-provided with'a door flap'y 43-"a'ttachedto theend'wall 28r ing travel.

may be addedk l As a further modification the frame l0 at the front end maybe provided with a bracket at each vside-extendingto the left in Fig. 4 so as topreventV all vlateral movement of the frame 3.I in

relation to the frame I0. t

What Iolai'mas 'my invention is:

. 1. *Ai collapsible trailer'house comprising trailer suspension means, an axle connected thereto, wheels mounted on 'said axle, at least two vtubular frames 'connected to and adapted, when spaced;l to support/a tent-like fabric Vcovering and form therewith a collapsible house, a trailer framev consisting of twofside rails joined byend rails yat vleast at yeach end pivotally connected at each side to the suspension means to pivot'on' an yaxis substantially Vparallela,that of the wheels, a vforked tow bar'pivotally connected to each side of the trailer frame, said tow bar being adapted' tobrace said frame When'it has been pivoted into the erected position and vl'ia'virlg means for preventing pivoting of the tow bar in relation-tothe frame'at` least during travel,A a

- longitudinal slot'fotmed` ln each fork ofthe tow bargmeans connecting the suspensionmeans to said' frame at another point in the length of the Iframe,A said connectionv being an indirect connection tothe tow bar and comprising a shackle pin connected `to the suspension means and adapted to slide in the slot formed in each fork of the vtow bar, the two points'of connection of the suspension means straddling thepivotal cons nection 40f the tow bar to the frame, and said indirect connection beingfadapted, on sliding of the shackle pins inthe slots,y topermit thel trailer frame Vto lbe plvotedr into an upright l position tol cooperate'with'said spaced framemelnbers to support the fabric covering, means connecting the collapsible house to the trailer frame'for'support ywhen erectedand means'for'b'rac'ing the' end yofjthe collapsible ll'oufsej.4 remote from the trailer frame. saidfhouse being collapsible onto said trailer frame to loe carried-on l2. A collapsible. trailer house as defined in claim ll in whichV the'collajpsible house conlprises side andfendwalls,A andA a'roof v'and floor of canvas,"the roofl having anextensi'onconnectd by hatten tov the frontfcfro'ss bar of fthe 'trailer' frame, and the floor having at the saine endof the, lhouse an extension'connected by battente the rear cross kbar l of' the-trailer frame, vand Y'said lmeans for bracing the end' of Vthe vhouse remote from th'e trailer frame comprises guy 'ropes con-` nected respectively to the top and bottom of sch end of the house. I .n l

, BERTIE rroPEjLJoHNsomoa top of ltklur-` 

